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Oddly Stimulating (Ep 512 - Robert/Siddhartha)

My guest on this week's Sewers of Paris podcast is author and architect Robert Raasch, whose recent debut novel The Sum...

Bonus video! Brooklyn's bungling gay bank robbers

Hello there!

It's hard to believe how many mistakes John Wojtowicz & company made when they decided to rob a bank in August of 1972 -- the heist that was eventually dramatized in the film Dog Day Afternoon. That movie includes a few of their goofy missteps, but it leaves out so...

Sewers of Paris: Epic Dark Sword and Sorcery (Ep 511 - The Last Unicorn/SW Kent)

My guest on The Sewers of Paris podcast this week is writer SW Kent, whose new novel is The Storytel...

Bonus video! Dog Day Afternoon is Based on a True Story (That's Probably a Lie)

Hello there!

The film Dog Day Afternoon opens by saying that it's based on a true story, and it is: The events of the movie unfold almost exactly as they did in real life, with a bisexual bank robber holding up a bank and telling everyone that he needs the money to pay for his wife to get (...

Sewers of Paris: You Were Too Good (Ep 310 - Throuple)

We’re trying different for this week’s Sewers of Paris podcast. Instead of one guest, we have three — the cast of the new film 2025-03-13 17:42:42 +0000 UTC View Post

Bonus video! Al Pacino, secret gay ally???

When you think of great queer allies in Hollywood, Al Pacino may not be the first name that springs to mind. But it turns out that he not only had a surprisingly progressive attitude towards LGBTQ+ folks, going back decades ... but he secretly did some very important charitable work on behalf of ...

Sewers of Paris: Beauty in Trash (Ep 309 - Bruce Vilanch)

With the Oscars this weekend, we’ve reached the culmination of the year’s awards season. And  for this week’s Sewers of Paris podcast, we’re diving into the archives to revisit...

Bonus video! Al Pacino was a demanding diva ... OR WAS HE???

Hello there! In this week's bonus video, I have a curious case of conflicting stories from Cruising director William Friedkin, most of them relating to Al Pacino. To hear Friedkin tell it, Pacino was one headache after another: He was unprepared, didn't know his lines, showed up lat...

Sewers of Paris: A Gay Wolf Who Goes to a Liberal Arts College (Ep 508 - Big Boys/Corey Sherman)

My guest on this week's Sewers of Paris podcast is director Corey Sherman, whose latest film is Big Boys...

Sewers of Paris: Secrets Do Not Serve Me (Ep 507: Shane/Wayne Scott)

My guest on this week's Sewers of Paris podcast is author and psychotherapist Wayne Scott. His new book, 2025-02-20 17:00:14 +0000 UTC View Post

Bonus video! So the director of THE EXCORCIST walks into a gay leather bar...

It's 1978 and director William Friedkin needs to do a little research, so he strips down to a jockstrap and walks into The Ramrod with a friend who's carrying a concealed revolver. In this week's bonus video, I have the weird story of how Friedkin found himself nearly nude and surrounded by orgia...

Sewers of Paris: I Don't Really Care What the Rules Are (Ep 506: Usher/Kingsley)

Welcome to a special episode of The Sewers of Paris! All this month, the Old Church Concert Hall in Portland is celebrating Black History Month with performances honoring Black artists. An...

Bonus Video! The story of the nude photo scandal that nearly ended The Real World

There was a nude photo scandal that nearly stopped The Real World from ever making it to air -- early in Season 1, over half the cast threatened to walk away from the project because of how the producers were treating them. I've got the behind-the-scenes story in this week's bo...

Sewers of Paris: Sometimes I am the Villain (Ep 505: Siouxie and the Banshees/George)

My guest on the Sewers of Paris podcast this week is musician George Alley — a returning guest who 2025-02-06 17:00:11 +0000 UTC View Post

Bonus Video! Highlights from the never-aired Real World pilot

Huge thanks to Patron Kimberly, who pointed me in the right direction to find the never-aired pilot of The Real World! In this week's bonus video, I want to share a bunch of fascinating moments from this experimental not-for-broadcast artifact, from the awkward meetings to a loft party t...

Sewers of Paris: The Entire Planet Was Paying Attention (Ep 504: The Real World/Judd Winick)

Cast your mind back, if you will, to the 1990s, when reality TV was new. Though the genre was young, many had already written off shows like The Real World as trash. But one young man saw ...

Sewers of Paris: Gay by May (Ep 503: Snow White/David)

My guest on this week's Sewers of Paris podcast is filmmaker David Beck. His childhood love of theater led him to a life as an actor — and also a difficult struggle to keep his head abov...

Bonus video! Gay high school boyfriends, and David Lynch's queer work

Hello there!

I just came across the application letters from a bunch of the early cast of The Real World, and found a funny story about Pam (from San Francisco) and a high school experience that I suspect many of us will find familiar.

Plus! As we remember the wonderful work ...

Bonus Vid! The incredible bravery of The Real World's Norman Korpi

Hello there!

Imagine it's 1992, when being an openly gay person is tremendously dangerous in most of America -- and you've volunteered to have your big queer life broadcast to millions of homes. Norm from season 1 of The Real World had absolutely no idea what he was signing up...

Sewers of Paris: The Moment Where I Lost It (Ep 502 - E.T./Andrew)

This month sees a rerelease of the classic ‘80s film The Goonies, which is about to turn 40. In honor of that milestone, we’re heading into the Sewers archives to hear my 2018 chat with 2025-01-09 17:00:19 +0000 UTC View Post

Glitter and Be Gay with me

They say laughter is the best medicine and I sure could use some of that right now, which is why I invite you to enjoy some performances of "Glitter and Be Gay," the aria from Candide in which a singer chortles in high C while covering herself in jewels. Iconic!

Alas, my back ...

Sewers of Paris: I Accidentally Found Myself on MTV (501: The Real World/Danny Roberts)

My guest this week is Danny Roberts, one of the stars of Real World: New Orleans, which originally aired on MTV in 2000. Danny was planning to become a teacher and wound up on the show through ...

Bonus video! The behind-the-scenes story of how MTV created The Real World

Hello there!

I'm recovering from some back trouble this week so I'm sliiiiiightly woozy on muscle relaxers... but I won't let that stop me from making a bonus video! This week, I have the real life story of how MTV created The Real World in a desperate attempt to prove that they were still ...

The Sewers of Paris 500th Episode Q&A Spectacular!

It's the 500th episode of the Sewers of Paris, and to celebrate James and I are doing a special Q&A with questions sent in by listeners! Huge thanks to everyone who sent questions, and let me know if you'd...

Bonus video! The messy birth of MTV

Hello there!

I have a video about The Real World coming your way soon, and for this week's bonus video I want to share some fun stories about the very silly origins of MTV -- how a bunch of music weirdos (and a Monkee) hijacked Nickelodeon to prove the idea could work, why the...

Sewers of Paris: From Mormon to Drug Lord (Ep 499 - Last of the Mohicans/Sean)

My guest on this week's Sewers of Paris is Sean Hemeon — an actor, writer, painter, and former Mormon drug dealer....

Bonus video! Are these punks punking us?

Hello there!

I have a juicy tale of revenge in this week's bonus video! It's the story of how Lance Loud made the most of a very unpleasant dinner with an insurance industry CEO.

Plus! A little correction/update about what may have been some intentional deceit behind the scenes of 2024-12-15 17:00:10 +0000 UTC View Post

Sewers of Paris: Stories Only I Could Tell (Ep 498 - Chasing Chasing Amy/Sav Rodgers)

My guest this week is director Sav Rodgers, whose new film is Chasing C...

I want your questions!

Hi folks!

We're rapidly approaching the 500th episode (!!!!) of The Sewers of Paris, and to celebrate I'm doing a Q&A episode where I answer questions from listeners! But to do that ... I need questions. Got any for me?

Patrons have always been super involved in all of my...

Sewers of Paris: The Glamour Injection I Needed (Ep 497

My guest this week is pop culture writer Frank DeCaro, whose latest book is Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania under the Mirror Ball. Frank g...